Really, really annoying problem

[Hywel]

I know I posted about this before, but it's now more specific than "durrrr, my wiring is broke"...

I'd acquired a short in my wiring system after some heavy rain so I figured it was the dodgy front end wiring job done to accommodate the twin headlights fitted by a previous owner. I'd been meaning to put a standard lamp back on anyway so I tidied up the wiring a bit, fitted the lamp only to discover the fuses were blowing because of something happening in the back.

When I disconnect the rear right indicator, the front right ticks double quick as expected, but the tail light also flashes with it (the left indicators flash completely as they should). If I reconnect the right indicator it shorts out and another fuse is toast. I'm guessing the tail light is somehow picking up the indicator circuit but all my connections seem to be right.

Anyone?

[Guest]

check your earths under the seat sounds like there either mixed up or your shorting out..

[Guest]

You cant mix earths up!

It does sound like a poor earth, go over all the connections clean & tighten them!

[Guest]

You cant mix earths up!

It does sound like a poor earth, go over all the connections clean & tighten them!

sorry meant connections, as the earth is plugged into the wrong connector..

[Hywel]

Thanks for the replies! I managed to sort it on my day off yesterday and It was a bit of everything suggested to be honest.

I'm totally new to fiddling around with electrics etc as I've always taken the car straight to a garage when the odd rare problem has arisen and this is the first time I've tried to solve an actual bike problem of any kind by myself.

As I said I'd fitted a standard lamp but I'd gotten the earth connections wrong for the indicators… as soon as I'd had my "ahhhhhhhh, green wires are earth" revelation it all fell into place and the circuit seemed to work as it should. I can be pretty thick sometimes.

After eliminating a few possibilities for the short I tracked it down to the rear offside indicator bulb, which got replaced and now all is well.

Bit of a patch-up job but when I get another day off I might get a soldering iron in there and set up a tidier loom with proper connectors etc.

So nice to finally have a tidy looking front with all my wires stuffed inside the lamp, sorting this out has somewhat put me off getting a new bike as I had my first ride on it in about 2 months this morning after riding my dads Transalp and it felt tiny, extremely chuckable and brutally quick by comparison, big grin all the way to work.